Just minutes after the chequered flag was waved at the 2022 Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton had to face the media following a third disappointment in four races. Like a pack of wolves waiting to strike on any weakness, Hamilton was forced to respond to any questions thrown at him by headline hunting journalists, regarding his lacklustre thirteenth place finish at Imola.

He was a full nine places behind his team mate and embarrassingly lapped by Max Verstappen. Something isn’t right. Things like this shouldn’t happen to a seven time world champion.

Lewis Hamilton’s remarkably high standards have made his lows in 2022 look worse than they actually are. After a couple of disappointing races, social media talks about ‘a changing of the guard at Mercedes.’ Social media is a toxic place, and after the controversies surrounding Abu Dhabi in 2021, Lewis Hamilton specifically took time off it. Trolls on social media feed on any driver’s struggle, and this was especially apparent on Twitter this afternoon. 

George Russell and Lewis Hamilton have a good relationship together and they both understand how good the other one is. One has a bit more pace and the rub of the green at the moment, but what is clear is that people will not let up on criticising Hamilton. He is a victim of his fifteen remarkable years of success. After one tiny slip up those online are ready to pounce. 

Tweets saying that no driver’s legacy should be based ‘purely on statistics for Schumacher/Senna would never put in such a performance’, or how ‘those who still believe Hamilton is the greatest ever are just deluding themselves’ are toxic, false and unnecessary. Maybe that’s just the state of Formula 1 fans on social media in 2022, because I’m not sure all Indycar fans would go for six time series champion Scott Dixon’s throat after a poor start to a season. 

Hamilton has been plagued with bad luck this year – going the wrong way on setup in Jeddah, unfortunate safety cars in Saudi Arabia and Australia, and on lap 1 at Imola he got too good of a start and there had to back out not to make it four-wide into Tamburello. He was hit by an overambitious Esteban Ocon in the pitlane and then denied DRS until Gasly was within a second of Albon to simply compound his misery. 

In comparison, Russell has had his fair share of luck in 2022 – two safety cars went his way and he wasn’t hampered so much by the DRS debacle. But that’s not to say he hasn’t been impressive. I thought his most impressive performance at Mercedes so far was at Imola, and he defended extremely well against a fast charging Valtteri Bottas.

But something feels off with Lewis Hamilton. 

Maybe 2021 took its toll on Hamilton more than he has let on. Lewis Hamilton is a remarkable man, coming through such extreme adversity to be the first black driver in Formula one. He is the only driver to beat three world champion team mates comprehensively in his career. He has won over 100 grand prix, and seven world titles. A record eighth was 11 corners away. 

To have it snatched away in such a way must have hurt more than he let on. His post-race interview oozed class, he left the track without fuss, and headed home. However, I think some deep-rooted wounds were opened up in that fiasco. Something similar to his comments after the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix of ‘someone doesn’t want me to win’. His father Anthony Hamilton said back when Lewis first began karting that ‘we’ll do our talking on the track’. Lewis did his talking on the track, and the rules were bent to take the record away from him. Drama was prioritised over sporting integrity.

Now what I am not suggesting is that this is all part of some huge conspiracy. It is not. But what I am saying is that Lewis’s 2022 performance may have been affected by the season finale in 2021. Whilst Toto Wolff’s comments on Drive to Survive concerning 2022 may have been punchy, Mercedes are still struggling a lot, not least because their lead driver is suffering with a hypersensitive and fundamentally flawed car. 

However, whilst I personally don’t believe this, maybe the slow start in 2022 is to do with Hamilton’s age. Lewis Hamilton has performed at the highest level consistently for many years and at 37, all this might just be catching up with him. Perhaps his career in ending is a way similar to that of his fellow seven time champion Michael Schumacher. There were races where Schumacher finished 10 or so places behind Rosberg (like at Valencia in 2011). There were also moments of brilliance from Michael in his final years at Mercedes. We’ve seen flashes of the old Lewis this season, but what sets Hamilton above his competitors is his ruthless consistency.

Whilst we haven’t got to the second half of the season yet (where Lewis typically outshines all his competitors), the first four races have been a real test for Hamilton and Mercedes. Hamilton’s record of winning a Grand Prix in every single season that he has competed in may be under threat in 2022. There is no better driver in the history of Formula one to fight back from adversity when his back is against the wall. 

Hamilton’s status as the greatest driver of the modern era should not be tarnished by four bad races. The tally of points between Hamilton and Russell currently sits at 49 to 28 in Russell’s favour. But the season is not over, and with 19 rounds still to go saying Hamilton is finished is the worst thing anyone can do. He himself has conceded he is out of the championship fight, but that doesn’t mean Hamilton is unable to prove a point when he gets back on track. He has done so ever since he sat in a kart for the first time.

Write him off at your peril.